India is gearing up to host Bharat Steel 2026, a two-day international conference-cum-exhibition organised by the Ministry of Steel, Government of India, scheduled for 16–17 April at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The summit aims to reshape global discourse on the future of the steel sector and is expected to draw senior policymakers, technology innovators, and industry leaders as the country positions itself at the centre of next-generation steelmaking driven by digitalisation, R&D, and sustainability.
The summit will focus on strengthening global supply chains and accelerating the shift toward low-emission steel production — challenges that have become central amid global economic volatility, trade fragmentation and the push for net-zero targets.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly underscored steel’s strategic role in India’s growth trajectory, describing the sector as the “strength behind every success story,” from skyscrapers to highways and high-speed rail networks. During India Steel 2025, he highlighted the sector’s importance in India’s journey towards a $5 trillion economy and noted the country’s ascent as the world’s second-largest steel producer.
That vision underpins this year’s summit, as India looks to combine industrial scale with long-term ambition. The government has set a production capacity target of 300 million tonnes by 2030 and 500 million tonnes by 2047. Domestic demand continues to rise across infrastructure, housing, railways, defence and energy, but officials say capacity expansion alone is insufficient without secure raw materials, predictable regulations and innovation-led modernisation. Policy push is expected in areas such as beneficiation of raw materials, logistics improvement and reduced dependence on imported coking coal.
The government’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for specialty steel is emerging as a key tool in shifting India away from commodity-grade output towards high-grade, precision steels used in sectors such as aerospace, defence and automotive manufacturing.
A major focus area for Bharat Steel 2026 will be the rise of “green steel.” The Steel Ministry’s Green Steel Roadmap, released in 2024, charts pathways involving green hydrogen trials, CCUS technologies, higher scrap utilisation and direct electrolysis-based production. Digitalisation and automation — including robotics, IoT monitoring and AI-driven process optimisation — are also expected to feature prominently, with stakeholders seeing technology as a route to higher efficiency and reduced emissions.
As carbon accounting norms reshape global trade, India is seeking to position itself as a competitive exporter of low-emission steel. Officials say the National Steel Strategy prioritises international joint ventures in emerging production technologies, backed by targeted incentives and research partnerships.
More than 700 delegates are expected to participate in the summit, including global industry players, technology companies, public sector enterprises, state delegations, startups and investors. The event aims to align with the government’s vision of a Viksit Bharat 2047 — one that is technologically advanced, self-reliant and economically resilient.
